


A Hui Hou Kaua

by CaseyStar



Series: Come Home To Me [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Adopted Children, American Football, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Reunions, First Kiss, Fluff, Homecoming, M/M, Married Couple, Nahele is a McGarrett-Williams, Reunions, Surprises, soldier reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 20:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30044394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaseyStar/pseuds/CaseyStar
Summary: Two years ago Steve swore to his family that he was retiring, no more missions.  But when a  family friend was under threat, he once more set out into danger.  Nahele, who was adopted after Steve's retirement, isn't coping with it so well and just wants his Papa home.  Preferably in time for the big game
Relationships: Junior Reigns/Tani Rey, Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: Come Home To Me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210034
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	A Hui Hou Kaua

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel/companion piece to Homecoming but can be read alone

“Thought I’d find you here.” The door of the Marquis creaked open as Danny eased himself into the passenger seat and turned to look at his oldest son.

Nahele was slumped over the steering wheel, jersey-clad arms wrapped around the column, fingers restlessly toying with the indicator stalk. Even in the dim of the garage, the large ‘ _50’_ emblazoned across his back shone brightly in a shaft of light through the window Danny kept meaning to clean. Nahele had been so proud when Kukui High had granted his request for the number, another McGarrett quarterback bucking tradition. 

“I know this isn’t how you wanted it to-”

“I get it,” Nahele cut him off. “He had to go. Keeping Uncle Junes safe is more important than a football game.”

Danny heard the _‘more important than me’_ loud and clear and his heart clenched at the unspoken words. Nahele had been hurt and let down by so many people in his short life, and the last thing either he or Steve had ever wanted was to be included in that number.

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, buddy. You’re allowed to be upset.” At his words, Danny sensed Nahele tense beside him.

“I _know_ that.” The boy’s tone was harsh but the slump of his shoulders was defeated. “I just…I’m the first sophomore since him to be starting quarterback for varsity.”

His ‘ _and I’m scared he won’t live to know about it,’_ echoed silently around the garage.

“He’s gonna be real proud of you. Auntie Tani and I are gonna film every second of that game and he’s gonna wanna hear about all of it when he gets home.”

Nahele buried his face into his arms muffling his next words. “If he gets home.”

“ _When_ , Nahele.” Danny’s tone was sharp and firm. He reached out and curled his hand around Nahele’s nape, relieved when the boy didn’t immediately shrug him off. “ _When_ your Papa gets home _._ There’s nothing Steve won’t do to come home to us. You know that, right? He is _always_ gonna come home to us. And you know why?” Danny rubbed his thumb along his son’s hairline, a repetitive and soothing gesture he had always used with Grace and Charlie when they wouldn’t sleep as infants. 

“Because we’re what he fights for,” Nahele replied robotically.

Danny _had_ to believe that, and he needed the kids to believe it too. When Junior had been recalled for a mission and Steve, as was his wont, had followed after with barely a thought, he'd left with Danny's blessing. Even so it had nearly killed Danny to have to explain to their children that Papa had had to go without so much as a goodbye. That he’d left after promising that missions were a thing of his past. Nahele had taken it the hardest.

“Nahele, listen to me,” Danny pressed. “Steve…Your Papa, he’s trained-”

“I _know_ , okay? I know what you’re gonna say.” He _did_ know, and he didn’t want to hear it again. Didn’t want to hear about all the crazy and dangerous missions his father had lived through with barely a scratch. Didn’t want to hear about how tough and strong and formidable he was, how there was nothing that would stop him coming home to his family. 

He just wanted his Papa home. Safe. In the stands with the rest of the ‘ohana and he didn’t care that it made him selfish. Hadn’t he earned it, just this once? 

“But you believe it, _right_? You know your Papa will be doing everything he can to be home in time for the game, and he’d do it even if you were just warming the bench.”

“Yeah. If you say so.” Nahele let his head flop to the side, one dark, red-rimmed eye opening to stare plaintively at Danny and the detective couldn’t stop himself from gathering his son awkwardly into his arms, his heart breaking at how the body in his hold shuddered as Nahele wept silent tears.

Danny loathed the feeling of helplessness that stole his breath every time Steve’s absence hurt their kids. Danny had known the moment Steve brought the boy home that Nahele was family, was meant to be _theirs_. He’d taken one look at the scared, bedraggled boy hiding behind Steve and been overwhelmed by the same feeling that had washed over him at Grace and Charlie’s births: ‘ _You are mine. I will keep you safe. We’re family.’_ He’d vowed to each of his children to protect them from harm, yet there was nothing he could do to ease this pain other than to be there. 

Clenching his eyes shut against the wetness he felt welling there, Danny focused on Nahele, hugging his son closer, pressing kiss after kiss into his son’s hair, offering what little comfort he could. Reminding the boy that he wasn’t alone. That he’d never be alone again.

“Yeah,” Danny repeated into his hair, voice strident and strong, his belief in Steve's abilities and love for his family ringing in the single syllable. “Yeah. I _know_ so.”

*

Watching her father and her fractured ‘ohana cheering Kukui High’s win, Grace would swear she could smell the massive bucket of popcorn her younger brother was spilling everywhere as he leaped up and down on his seat, her mouth watering at the thought of the creamy butter and overheated caramel she knew it would be sticky with. After dancing almost non-stop for the past few hours, she was starving and feeling the heat of the mid-afternoon sun, but even if she and the other cheerleaders had had a break for more than a sip of water, she was too excited to eat.

Checking her watch again, Grace glanced over at Katie and the other girl instantly ditched her poms and ran over to their bench, grabbing the bag that they’d stuffed under it before the game. As the crowd roared their approval of the two teams lining up to shake hands in a sign of good sportsmanship despite how the Kings had wiped the floor with the Warriors, the girls slipped around the corner of the bleachers and Grace pulled out the rolled up sheets of paper she’d painstakingly crafted and then hidden from her father the night before. She felt almost nauseated with excitement, so giddy her hands shook as she ensured the pages were in the correct order and got herself into position, shooting Katie a thumbs up.

Unbeknownst to the teams on the field, the big screen opposite the bleachers flickered from the score to an image of a young woman in her cheerleading uniform. With a smile on her face, she held a finger up to her lips and shushed her new audience to secrecy. Reaching off to the side, she came back into frame holding up the first of her signs.

**“ _I’m Grace Williams-McGarrett, and t_ _hat is my brother, Nahele.”_**

Grace pointed out at the field, the camera panning across the field and over the celebrating team until it zeroed in on a single uniformed boy standing at the 40 yard line. The King’s coach was keeping Nahele facing the bleachers talking to a couple of other students from the school newspaper as Grace took over the big-screen. While his team was jubilant behind him, Nahele’s head was bowed, his shoulders hunched beneath his pads. To the crowd, he likely just looked like a young man exhausted by a hard game played in sweltering heat, but Grace could read his disappointment and anguish that their Papa hadn’t made it back in time for his big win. She’d watched as, after scoring the last minute touchdown, he’s stripped off his helmet and scanned the crowd for his family. Seen as his gaze had fallen upon the cheering quartet his smile had faltered, the hand holding the helmet above his head in triumph falling to his side.

The camera panned back to Grace and she flipped the sign over.

**“ _He’s about to get the surprise of his life.”_**

Dropping the paper, she reached for another.

**“ _Four weeks ago our Papa and Uncle had to deploy on a mission with their old SEAL team. He missed team selections and Nahele never got to tell him he got picked as QB1, just like Papa was.”_**

She flipped the board over.

**“ _It’s been hard on all of us, but Papa retired before Nahele joined our family. He’s never had to deal with Papa being away like this. He’s never given the Navy his father and prayed they not give him back a box and a flag.”_**

Nahele had only been with them for two years, after all. Two years in which Steve had been fully retired from the SEALs. Two years where Steve and Danny had come home every night even if only for ten minutes before returning to a case, attended every parent-teacher conference and cheered at every football game. It had been the first time in a long time that someone had made a promise to Nahele and _kept_ it, and while it’d taken time, her brother had flourished. He’d made friends at his new school, his grades had soared, and he’d found acceptance on the football team. 

That happiness had gone both ways, and Grace had watched with amusement when her dads had finally gotten to officially adopted Nahele the year prior, when both men had been reduced to tears as Nahele had loudly announced to the judge that he wished to change his surname to “ _match my family”_ and the paperwork had been started to make him a McGarrett-Williams in name too.

Grace shrugged sadly as she dropped the sign, but held up the next with a broad smile.

**_“But he’s about to get a big surprise. Papa and Uncle Junes landed a little while ago and are on the way here.”_ **

She glanced guiltily up at the bleachers above her head and bit her lip as she flipped over the sign.

**_“Not even our Dad knows, though I guess he does now.”_ **

From her hiding spot, Grace was pretty sure she could hear her father’s outburst, followed immediately by Charlie’s high-pitched squeal that _‘Danno owes the swear jar, Danno owes the swear jar’_ even over the roar of the crowd.

**_“My brother is such a great guy and Papa…Papa is his hero.”_ **

Grace turned the sign around with a grimace and duck of her head.

**_“Sorry, Danno.”_ **

This time it was definitely Tani that crowed over how much Danny now owed the swear jar. Grace was distracted from the antics of her family by her phone, tucked into the waistband of her skirt, buzzing against her hip. Holding up a finger to the camera, she dropped the sign and grabbed the phone, a smile breaking across her face at the text she found. She bent back to the bag and grabbed up another sign, this one bright red.

**_“HE’S HERE! PAPA’S HERE!”_ **

Her cheeks were already starting to ache, and she could feel tears welling in her eyes as her phone buzzed with another text and Grace turned the sign around for the very last time.

**_“I can’t wait to see his face!!”_ **

Dropping the sign Grace held her finger up to her lips for silence once again, a pleading look in her eyes for the crowd not to give the game away prematurely. 

The image on the big-screen began to jostle a little as Katie and Grace made their way toward the sideline and where Nahele was still being interviewed for the school newspaper. The pair stood just to the side, angled just right to catch the moment that Steve, still clad in his digital camo, strode onto the field from the parking lot and zeroed in on his oldest son. Once more his hair was cut short, one eye was bruised a wicked black, and the left side of his face was a raw red like he’d stood far too close to an explosion, but his smile was wide despite his obvious exhaustion. Grace, tears already streaming silently down her face at the sight of him, stole a wave at her Papa, but Nahele was Steve’s goal and she was content that she would have her moment, no matter how she ached to run into his arms. 

He was home. He was safe. She could wait.

The PA system crackled as the microphone that the coach was wearing was turned on to capture the moment.

“So if you guys don’t have any more questions -”

“I got one.”

The voice was gentle and rough, and the camera caught the moment that realisation struck Nahele; his eyes widened and his head snapped up, eyes flitting to his sister and by extension the camera being held beside her causing him to frown. He appeared to have stopped breathing as he turned around, helmet clattering to the ground as it fell from shaking fingers.

“What’s a guy gotta do to get a hug around here?”

“Papa?”

“Aloha keiki.” Steve’s hazel eyes shone with pride and joy as he reached out to cup one hand on Nahele’s cheek, the other on his shoulder. There was a crack of plastic as Nahele kicked his helmet in his haste to step into his father’s embrace, launching himself into his arms without a thought of their audience which roared its approval.

Steve pulled him in, his wince at the impact of Nahele’s padded form against unseen wounds visible on the big-screen but he didn’t seem to care. Instead, the SEAL only gathered his son closer, one hand cupping Nahele’s head and the other an iron bar across his shoulders, holding him as tight as the bulky football gear allowed. Nahele clung to his father, fingers clawing into his uniform, digging fresh bruises into Steve’s skin, his tear-stained face buried in his Papa’s neck as his body shook.

Nothing mattered to the pair except each other, and Katie carefully angled the camera to let them hide their faces, giving them at least that little privacy as she focused on where their arms wrapped each other close, even as the Coach’s microphone caught the muffled words that escaped Nahele’s tears.

“I’m so sorry I missed the game.”

“S’okay.”

“Won’t happen again.”

“I know.”

“I’m so proud of you, Son.”

The commotion of the two teams and the crowd clapping and whooping as they stormed the field and circled the little group eventually filtered through into the consciousness of the two men, and Nahele gathered himself, loosening his hold on his Papa to swipe at the tears that streaked his face, though one arm remained tight across Steve’s shoulders, keeping him close, Nahele sneaking glances at him every few seconds as though to check he was still there, even as his team reached out to slap his back or offer a high-five.

“Papa!”

The high-pitched shriek pierced the cheering of the crowd and the camera panned across just in time to catch a little blond head as a small boy rocketed down the bleacher steps and onto the field, weaving easily through the legs of the throng to reach the pair. Charlie threw himself at Steve with a delighted whoop, confident that he’d be caught.

“Hey Charlie, you miss me?” Steve grinned as his youngest showered wet kisses against his cheeks, returning the favour with obnoxiously loud smacking sounds.

“So much! So, so, sooo much!” Little arms wrapped around Steve’s neck, the boy squeezing as tight as his little body could manage as he yammered excitedly in Steve’s ear all about what his Papa missed while he was away. It was an assortment of tales about the dogs he saw in his continued campaign for the family to get one, his new teacher at school and something concerning about his Danno actually ordering a pizza with pineapple which Steve made a mental note to follow up on later.

“What the _hell_ is the matter with you?!”

Steve looked up from Charlie’s bright eyes to see Danny easily shoving the Warrior’s quarterback, a teenager with easily a foot in height on the detective, out of his way to step into the eye of the storm.

“Hey, Danno.” Steve’s greeting was soft, barely more than a whisper as he scanned his husband for any obvious sign of injury or hurt acquired while he was away, content that he could further his examination later when all three of the children were asleep. 

“ _’Hey Danno’_ is all you have to say to me?” Danny prodded his husband sharply in the chest with every word.

“You not happy to see me?”

“Am I not happy to see you? Not happy?! What the hell is the matter with you?!”

“Ku’u ipo -” 

“Don’t you ‘ _my love’_ me after turning our daughter into your-”

“Why are you yelling at Papa?” Charlie, who had squirmed around onto Steve's back clinging around his neck like a monkey, hooked his head over Steve’s shoulder and frowned at his father, the expression far too adorable on his little face.

Danny took a calming breath, Steve’s eyes lighting upon the buttons that strained on his shirt when he did so. “I'm not yelling at Papa-”

“Yes you are,” Charlie asserted firmly. Turning his head, the little boy whispered loudly into Steve’s ear. “Danno said a _very_ bad word when Grace was on the TV.”

“He _did_?” Steve gasped, with a wink at his husband. “Then he’s gotta put a dollar in the swear jar.”

“It was a five dollar word,” Charlie yelled right into Steve’s ear, taking a deep breath as though he was going to repeat his father’s curse, only to find Nahele’s hand over his mouth stopping him.

“Snitch,” Danny groused, fighting a smile as Nahele’s face screwed up in horror and the teen yanked his hand away from his brother’s mouth before scrubbing the palm against his jersey. Tongue still sticking out of his mouth, Charlie cackled in glee at his brother’s reaction, blowing a raspberry enthusiastically in his direction, spraying Steve’s cheek with saliva.

“Confidential informant,” Steve corrected haughtily, absentmindedly wiping his cheek. 

“Gonna turn all our kids into your Irregulars?”

Steve’s eyebrows raised. “Nice literary reference.”

“I read.”

“Cereal packets maybe.”

Easily recognising the look coming over his Papa’s face as his ‘mushy’ one, Nahele reached up and liberated Charlie from his perch, and settled him to his hip with a little effort due to his pads, his little brother clinging precariously to him, even as he squirmed around to watch their parents bickering with a happiness that had been missing from the boy the last few weeks.

The teen’s actions were just in time as, up on the big-screen, the crowd could see the fond expression that Steve shot his husband right before reaching for him, one arm wrapping around broad shoulders, the other tight around Danny’s waist as he dipped him backwards into a deep bend across Steve’s knee. The SEAL swallowed the squawk of disbelief and anger that escaped Danny by pressing their mouths together with gusto if not finesse.  
  
Over the squealed disgust of Charlie, Grace could hear Nahele’s laughter at Steve’s antics, a sound she’d missed in the weeks that their father had been gone. It was barely a kiss what with how Danny was squirming in Steve’s arms and mumbling what were no doubt death threats against his husband’s lips which were split wide in a smile, but neither man seemed in a hurry to end the embrace, Danny’s hands tight around Steve’s neck and shoulders.

Finally the catcalls of the assembled teenagers cut through the little bubble around the couple, and Steve set Danny back on his feet with a little bow, and while many of the crowd might have missed it, the camera caught the jab he aimed _just_ to the side of Steve’s crotch, the SEAL wincing but not moving away, slinging an arm around his husband’s shoulders and keeping him close, as though any space separating them was a personal offense.

“Animal.” Danny’s tone was tender, despite the rebuke, arm tight around Steve’s waist.

“Yes, Dear,” Steve agreed happily, before leaning down and planting a proper kiss on Danny’s mouth, soft and sincere, but with a flash of tongue against his lips. **  
**

“And you,” Danny rounded on Grace and slipped out from under Steve’s arm causing the other man to pout, “you little turncoat.” Her dad grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a firm, and deliberately wet, kiss to her forehead, making her wrinkle her brow in disgust. “I love you, even if you have been turned against me.”

“What can I say, Danno? I get my sneakiness from-”

“-your mother. You get it from your mother.”

“Yeah,” Grace smirked up into her Danno’s face, “that’s what I was gonna say.”

“Hey Grace Face,” Steve shoved Danny aside and gathered his daughter into his arms where she unashamedly snuggled in tight. She’d been content to wait for her brothers to have their moments but now hers had come and she was going to enjoy every second of it. Her hair snagged in the Velcro fastening of his green-and-tans, and the rough stubble that darkened Steve’s jaw scratched against her skin but she couldn’t have cared less as she swayed in his tight hold.

All was right in her world once more.

“How’s my girl?” Steve mumbled into her hair.

“Better now.”

“Yeah? Me too.

“We did good, huh?” Grace pulled back and gestured to the camera and up on the screen, a dark hand appeared in frame as Katie waved at Steve.

“You guys did _so great_.” Without releasing his hold on his daughter, Steve waved back at the camera with a grin. “Hi, Katie. Thank you for your help, couldn’t have done it without out you!”

“Hi, Commander. Glad you’re home safe.”

“Safe? He’s not safe! All the bad guys are just gonna follow him back here and hunt him, and by extension _me,_ down.”

“Papa would never let that happen!” Charlie’s strident voice was muffled by the helmet he’d acquired off one of the opposing team, the headgear laughably large on his little head but he smiled brightly through the grill, defiant in his defence of his Papa.

“Hey!” The camera whirled on Grace’s concerned face, her shout interrupting whatever Danny was about to respond. She looked earnestly up into her Papa’s face. “Where’s Uncle Junes??”

Steve’s head snapped up and he scanned the surrounding crowd, a wrinkle forming between his brows as he searched. Then a grin spread over his face, and he raised one hand to cover Charlie’s eyes playfully as he jerked his chin in the direction of the bleachers, the camera following his gaze.

Still in the stands, Tani was wrapped around Junior like a cheap suit, and if Steve had purposefully kept his reunion with Danny at PG level, the new couple had no such concerns, and Katie quickly diverted the camera back to Grace who whooped and whistled along with the rest of the crowd.

“About time, but get a room,” Danny hollered, and up in the stands Tani, whose leg had been inching up Junior’s thigh to wrap around his hip, froze, her foot sliding slowly back down to the ground.

“Conduct unbecoming of an officer,” Steve contributed, laughing when Junior’s spine stiffened and his hands twitched where they were wrapped around Tani’s waist, as though he were about to stand to attention.

As though he weren’t halfway there already from the way the pair had been pawing at each other.

Releasing Tani, Junior stepped back, tugging nervously at the hem of his shirt, smoothing it down again and again, keeping his back to the field, much to the amusement of Tani _and_ the crowd. Tani, after taking a moment to right her shirt and return its straps to her shoulders, peeked around him with a mischievous grin and waved at the onlookers.

“That’s all the show you’re getting!” She called, laughing at whatever expression Junior shot her, taking his hand and pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek.

“Let’s get some shave ice,” Steve proposed to his family when everyone’s attention was back on the field, Tani and Junior were beating a retreat down the steps and towards the parking lot. “My treat.”

“You’re gonna pay?” Disbelief and suspicion weighed Danny’s words.

“Course I am, gotta celebrate our boy’s win.” Steve looked offended at Danny’s question, shocked even after all their years together that his husband would question him.

“Alright. Lemme see your wallet, then.” Holding out his hand, Danny wiggled his fingers, eyes narrowing when Steve turned away rather than produce the requested billfold.

“Hmmmm?” Steve turned to Charlie and plucked off the helmet, returning it to its owner before slinging one arm around his oldest son’s shoulders and resting his hand on Charlie’s head. He ignored Danny as he reached out to Grace, his daughter sliding effortlessly beneath his arm with a grin at her Danno. Steve led the little group down the familiar route to the locker room, the crowd shuffling aside to provide a clear path, as Danny trailed after, bemoaning the impact on his bank balance this his husband’s return was due to take.

As the family walked away, the two men’s bickering petering out, the image on the screen blurred and jostled one last time until a young woman’s face filled the screen. With a wink and a thumbs up, she cut the feed.


End file.
